|
Total Madness – The Very Best Of Madness
''Total Madness – the Very Best of Madness'' is a greatest hits album by a British ska/pop band Madness, released in 1997. It was released exclusively in the United States and Canada. Critical reception In a retrospective review for AllMusic, critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine gave the album three out of five stars and wrote that the album " san overview of Madness in their decline, with a couple of earlier hits thrown in for good measure." Track listing # " Our House" ( Cathal Smyth, Chris Foreman) - 3:20 # " It Must Be Love" (Labi Siffre) - 3:18 # " Tomorrow's (Just Another Day)" (Smyth, Michael Barson) - 3:09 # "Shut Up" (Foreman, Graham McPherson) - 3:26 # " Grey Day" (Barson) - 3:38 # "The Sun and the Rain" (Barson) - 3:30 # " Wings of a Dove (A Celebratory Song)" (Smyth, McPherson) - 3:03 # "Michael Caine" (Smyth, Daniel Woodgate) - 3:36 # " One Better Day" (McPherson, Mark Bedford) - 4:06 # "Uncle Sam Uncle Sam (which has the same initials as ''United States'' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Madness (band)
Madness are an English ska and pop band from Camden Town, North London, who formed in 1976. One of the most prominent bands of the late 1970s and early 1980s two-tone ska revival, they continue to perform with six of the seven members of their original line-up.Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. Retrieved on 19 June 2007. Madness's most successful period was from 1980 to 1986, when the band's songs spent a total of 214 weeks on the UK Singles Chart. (UB40 shared the same number of weeks, the largest for any British group in the decade, but over a longer period.), IMDb.com, Retrieved on 10 June 2007. Madness have had 15 singles reach the UK top ten, including " One Step Beyond", "Baggy Trousers" and " It Must Be Love", one UK number-one single "House of Fun" and two number ones in Ireland, "House of Fun" and " Wings of a Dove". " Our House" was their biggest US hit, reaching number 7 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. In 2000, the band received the Ivor Novello Award from the British Academ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mike Barson
Michael Barson (born 21 April 1958) is a Scottish-born multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and composer. In a career spanning more than 40 years, Barson came to prominence in the late 1970s as the keyboard player for the band Madness. Early years Barson was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. He grew up in North London with his two brothers, Dan and Ben, who are also musicians (with Ben being one of Roland Gift's collaborators). He is often known by the nicknames "Monsieur Barso" or "Barzo". Prior to forming Madness, Barson and fellow future Madness member Lee Thompson gained some notice as graffiti artists in the mid-1970s. After reading about the emerging New York graffiti scene, they spray-painted their nicknames ("Mr B" and "Kix") along with two friends' names "Cat" and "Columbo" around north London. They managed to spray their nicknames on George Melly's garage door, prompting Melly to write a newspaper article declaring: "If I ever catch that Mr B, Kix and Columbo, I'm goin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
One Step Beyond (song)
"One Step Beyond" is a tune written by Jamaican ska singer Prince Buster as a B-side for his 1964 single "Al Capone". It was covered by British band Madness for their debut studio album of the same name (1979). Although Buster's version was mostly instrumental except for the song title shouted for a few times, the Madness version features a spoken intro by Chas Smash and a barely audible but insistent background chant of "here we go!". The spoken line, "Don't watch that, watch this", in the intro is from another Prince Buster song, "Scorcher" — and is also used at the start of Dave and Ansell Collins' "Funky Funky Reggae" — whilst the next line "This is a heavy heavy monster sound" is taken from another Dave and Ansell Collins song, "Monkey Spanner". The first of those also became a trademark during the early promos of MTV, where the video was in heavy rotation. According to Alan Winstanley, one of the producers, the released Madness version was a rough mix, created by taki ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yesterday's Men
"Yesterday's Men" is a song by the English ska and pop band Madness, released on 19 August 1985 as the lead single from their sixth studio album '' Mad Not Mad'' (1985). It was written by Graham McPherson and Chris Foreman, and produced by Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley. The song spent 7 weeks on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number 18. The song was edited for release as a single, the album version being some thirty seconds longer. A music video was filmed to promote the single, directed by Chris Gabrin. Critical reception Upon its release as a single, Paul Bursche of ''Number One'' described "Yesterday's Men" as "a grim portrait of a land without hope" and "a real grower that finally emerges into one of the best songs the group have ever done". He added that although it was "very Sade-ish", "even the orchestration can't disguise a new lush Madness sound". Ian Cranna of '' Smash Hits'' wrote, This mournful little exhortation to hang on in there with gentle percussion and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lee Thompson (saxophonist)
Lee Jay Thompson (born 5 October 1957), nicknamed Kix or El Thommo, is an English multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, and composer. In a career spanning more than 40 years, Thompson came to prominence in the late 1970s as a founder and saxophonist for the English ska band Madness. Early years Prior to forming Madness, Thompson and future Madness keyboardist Mike Barson gained some notoriety as graffiti artists in the mid-1970s. After reading about the emerging New York graffiti scene, they spray-painted their nicknames ("Kix" and "Mr B") along with two friends' names "Cat" and "Columbo" around North London. They managed to spray their nicknames on George Melly's garage door, prompting Melly to write a newspaper article declaring: "If I ever catch that Mr B, Kix and Columbo, I'm going to kick their arses". Music career Thompson founded Madness with Mike Barson and Chris Foreman in 1976, and wrote the group's debut single, "The Prince". Among the other songs, he wrote or ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Uncle Sam (song)
"Uncle Sam" is a song by the English ska/ pop band Madness from their sixth studio album '' Mad Not Mad'' (1985). It was predominantly written by saxophonist Lee Thompson, but also jointly credited to guitarist Chris Foreman. Background The single spent 11 weeks on the UK Singles Chart peaking at number 21, ending a run of 20 consecutive top 20 entries stretching back to their 1979 debut "The Prince". It was also issued in a 'Flag Bag' - the 7" single wrapped in an American flag with the Russian translation of "Uncle Sam" printed on the flag. The song's lyrics are the narrative of a soldier's experiences in World War II. The track was edited for release as a single, the album version being over a minute longer. Music video To accompany the single the band released a music video which can be viewed as a parody of US participation in the Second World War. The video opens with a milk float approaching a row of British terraced houses. A man, dressed in suit and a cowboy hat, wit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mark Bedford
Mark William Bedford (born 24 August 1961),Strong, Martin C. (2002) ''The Great Rock Discography'', Canongate, , p. 638 nicknamed Bedders, is an English musician, songwriter and composer. Bedford came to prominence in the late 1970s as the bass guitarist for the English ska band Madness. Early life Mark Bedford was born on 24 August 1961, in Islington, London, England. He started to buy records at the age of 11 or 12. Around this time, he listened to music in the charts and North American artists such as Neil Young. He began to play bass guitar at the age of 13 in order to accompany friends who played the guitar. Bedford attended William Ellis School in Kentish Town and met members of the North London Invaders at one of their gigs. He was asked to a band rehearsal and was impressed by the musicianship on display. Bedford was friends with the Invaders' drummer Gary Dovey, but after a confrontation with saxophonist Lee Thompson, Dovey left the band. Bedford brought Dan Woodg ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
One Better Day
"One Better Day" is a song by English ska band Madness from their fifth studio album '' Keep Moving'' (1984). The song, written by Suggs (Graham McPherson) and Mark Bedford, Retrieved on June 27, 2007. was released as a single in the United Kingdom, and spent seven weeks in the charts peaking at number 18. Retrieved on June 27, 2007. The single was a last minute choice, as "Victoria Gardens" from the same album was originally slated to be the album's second single. The remixed version of "Victoria Gardens" intended for the A-side was instead included as a bonus track on the 12" single. The substitution was likely made to avoid releasing two consecutive singles with Carl Smyth as lead vocalist, following the disappointing (by their standards) sales of "Michael Caine" and widespread rumours that Suggs was about to leave, or had already left, the group. This was the last single on the Stiff Records label, before the band's creation of their own label, Zarjazz Records. The B-side ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dan Woodgate
Daniel Mark (Woody) Woodgate (born 19 October 1960) is an English musician, songwriter, composer and record producer. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Woodgate came to prominence in the late 1970s as the drummer for the English ska band Madness (band), Madness and went on to become a member of the Anglo-American alternative rock band Voice of the Beehive in the late 1980s. Woodgate began his solo career in 2015, while still a member of Madness, releasing the album ''In Your Mind''. Early years Daniel Mark Woodgate was born on 19 October 1960, in Kensington, west London, England. As children, he and his younger brother Nick lived with their divorcee father in a big house in Camden Town, north London and were cared for by nannies. Dan Woodgate attended Haverstock School from 1972–1978. After leaving school, he worked for a time as a sign writer/printer and then as a building work/labourer. Woodgate received his first drum kit when he was 12 years of age. When he was 14, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Michael Caine (song)
"Michael Caine" is a song by English ska band Madness, released on 30 January 1984 as the lead single from their fifth studio album '' Keep Moving'' (1984). The song was written by Carl Smyth and Daniel Woodgate, Retrieved on June 27, 2007. and features Smyth on lead vocals in place of usual Madness vocalist Suggs. "Michael Caine" spent eight weeks on the British chart, peaking at number 11. Lyrical content The song is about an informant during the Troubles, and the lyrics suggest a state of paranoia and mental disintegration. It is named after English actor Michael Caine and includes his vocal samples, recorded specifically for this song. The song's hook, a repetition of Caine introducing himself by name, recalls his role in the spy film ''The Ipcress File'' (1965), in which his character, Harry Palmer, repeats his name while trying to stay sane under torture. When he was approached to appear on the record, Caine initially turned it down, but his daughter on hearing his deci ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wings Of A Dove (Madness Song)
"Wings of a Dove" (also known as "Wings of a Dove (A Celebratory Song)") is a song by English ska band Madness. It was released in 1983 as a stand-alone single and later in 1984 it was included on the American version of their studio album '' Keep Moving''. The single spent 10 weeks in British charts peaking at number 2. It peaked at number 1 in Ireland. "Wings of a Dove" was written by Suggs and Chas Smash and they also share lead vocals here. The song featured steel drums by Creighton Steel Sounds and the gospel choir The Inspirational Choir of the Pentecostal First Born Church of the Living God. In 1985, Madness offered the song as their contribution to the multi-artist compilation '' Greenpeace – The Album''. The song enjoyed a brief resurgence in popularity in 1999 when it was featured in the movie ''10 Things I Hate About You''. Madness performed a version live on BBC One on New Year's Eve, 2018. Promotional music video The music video for the song depicts all involved ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Sun And The Rain
"The Sun and the Rain" is a single by Madness. It was released in 1983 as a stand-alone single and in 1984 it was included on the American/Canadian version of their album '' Keep Moving''. The single spent 10 weeks on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number 5. The song was also their last to ever enter the USA Billboard Hot 100 Charts, peaking as high as No. 72 on that following chart in 1984. "The Sun and the Rain" was the last Madness single written solely by Mike Barson until 2009's "Sugar and Spice". It was also the last original release of theirs to reach the UK top 10 until "Lovestruck" in 1999. Music video The music video for the song shows Madness performing in a rainy street, with a couple of references to Christmastime and the holiday seasons. Toward the end they are joined by a number of Madness fans who join in the dancing. An introductory scene shows the band entering 'Holts' shoe shop in Camden Town, since renamed British Boot Company. There are also scen ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
